Musicians, vocalists honored> Arcady Music Society holds youth competition

ORONO — The Arcady Music Society has selected eight Youths Winners, six Youths Finalists and one Maine College Winner out of over 50 entrants in the 14th Annual Arcady Youth Competition held at the University of Maine on May 2.

The winners were: violinists Kendra Lenz of Hampden, Kelsey Hudson of Blue Hill and Meredith Crawford of Veazie; pianists Daphne Nichols of Machiasport, Claire Gross of Bangor and Jessica Haynes of Northeast Harbor; classical guitarist Ian Gallagher of Orono; and tenor vocalist Andrew McCormick of Lincoln.

The six finalists were: soprano vocalist Laura Darrell of Yarmouth; pianists Mesa Schubeck of Blue Hill, Yvonne L. Drake of Dixmont and Rebecca Lingley of Machias; flutist Darlene Baker of Blue Hill; and the violin-cello duo of Joseph and Julia Arnold of Ellsworth.

Winner of the college competition was the classical guitar trio of University of Maine students Richard Kenefic, Joshua Wohlforth and Robert Ford. In addition, Arnold Liver, a violin teacher from Bangor, was honored as Arcady Teacher of the Year.

Winners of the competition will join Arcady’s professional musicians for the Arcady Music Festival’s summer concerts which run from July 13 to August 27 in Bangor, Dover-Foxcroft, Mount Desert Island, Skowhegan and Belfast. One teen-age winner will be invited to visit Japan for six weeks as a musical ambassador for the Arcady Music Festival.